On Packing for Trips

I've had the privilege of extensive traveling - I've been to seven countries outside my own, and I've been to many places in my home country. I'll be out of town this weekend, so I'm going to be writing on THINGS I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT PACKING.
Firstly, I think I've set an unreasonable standard for myself. When I went abroad (the Turkey and Greece trip) in January 2014, I was impressed with how well I had packed. I decided to embark on a two-week trip with my duffel bag weighing 9.25 pounds. Don't believe me? Here's the proof in kilos:

if you can't read the little red number, it says "4.2". Kilograms.

So, with a 4.2-kilogram bag to be used over the course of two weeks, I have set myself a new Light-Traveling Standard to be reached every time I leave home.

How is this attainable? READ ON!

1. You don't need a new pair of underwear for every single day.

One thing I learned on that two-week trip is the value of camping underwear and small amounts of laundry detergent. Camping underwear is designed to dry quickly and be very lightweight - if you get caught in a rainstorm, the underwear can dry overnight. If you're NOT backpacking, you can still get clean underwear. Just buy some reusable, travel-size bottles (usually found near the hairbrushes and hair ties, and sometimes in the "travel for $1" section), pour in some laundry detergent, and use a few drops in a sink full of water. Alternatively...

2. Doctor Bronner's solves everything.

Doctor Bronner's is an all-in-one cleaner - it's concentrated enough to clean pretty much everything. Three drops on a washcloth is good for a face wash. One small squirt in a sink is good for small-time laundry detergent. It's available in most drug stores near the body wash, and can substitute for your body wash, shampoo (if you're daring), laundry detergent, and probably a lot more. I didn't bring it abroad last year, but I wish I had.

3. Look up what you'll be doing.

I am one of the least-planning people to ever not plan things. It does help, though, to know generally what you'll be doing and what the dress code might be. You don't need to bring a pair of heels when you'll spend most of your time at archaeological sites - unless there's some kind of archaeological gala at the end of your trip. If there are several events that would merit dressing slightly better than normal, then bring a single nice outfit (ONE dress or ONE button-down and FLATS), and dress it up in different ways. If you feel comfortable with little to no makeup, then limit what you bring - sometimes, just a bit of eyeliner will work wonders. If you feel like you CAN'T be presentable without your full face of makeup on (which is totally fine), then try and only bring the materials for a simple day-to-day look, and maybe one standout item if you need to look really snazzy really quickly.

4. You probably only need one pair jeans.

Seriously. I know it sounds gross, but if you're not going to need a fancy outfit, then you don't need to bring more than one pair of trousers. Be careful about what you do in your jeans, and it won't be too big a deal. Just bring a few different lightweight shirts, and it'll be fine.

5. You don't need to bring your whole bathroom in three-ounce containers.

I am guilty of this. You don't need many hair products aside from water and a comb and something to clean it with. You don't need lotion, unless your hands get super chapped without it. If you do, buy some scented lotion and ditch the perfume. If you bring full-sized toothpaste, see if you can share with your roommate (I know it sounds weird, but it saves a lot of space). Travel size contact solution can last for three weeks (yes, really), so you don't need a huge container of it.

6. Be versatile in your wardrobe.

When you're only wearing one pair of jeans, this is kind of a given. Bring items that are lightweight and/ or can layer, and be thematic. Blazers are super versatile and can make any outfit look good, so if you need a jacket you can use that. If you bring two short-sleeve shirts and two long-sleeve shirts, you have eight days' worth of shirts. (4 shirts worn individually, and 4 combinations of shirts). If you need more variety than that, bring a few different jewelry pieces and a lightweight scarf. DO NOT BRING EXTRA SHOES WITHOUT NECESSITY.

7. Be versatile in your leisure items.

If you are going somewhere specifically to sit with a good book or a craft project, then you can go to your couch, or maybe a cabin in the middle of nowhere. If you AREN'T leaving to write the Next Great Epic, then you don't need much entertainment - read, puzzle, and sleep on the plane. Headphones are always useful, just remember the charger.